2027: Atiku raises alarm over appointment of two Yorubas as INEC heads, warns Tinubu

Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar has expressed alarm over the appointment of two Yoruba individuals, Mrs. Oluyemi Titilayo Adeyemi-Showunmi and Dr. Lawrence Bayode, to lead two key departments at the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC). Atiku made these remarks in a statement issued by his spokesperson, Phrank Shaibu.

The two appointees, Adeyemi-Showunmi and Bayode, will head the Electoral Operations and Voter Registry Department, and the Information and Communication Technology (ICT) Department, respectively. Both departments play a crucial role in the electoral process. Atiku called on President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to refrain from interfering with the electoral body ahead of the 2027 presidential election, emphasizing the need for a free and fair poll.

He demanded that INEC publish the criteria used for the appointments and demonstrate that all decisions were made based on merit and without political interference. Nigerians, Atiku warned, would not accept a "stolen election" on January 16, 2027. He also demanded answers from INEC regarding reports about the production of election materials, urging the commission to disclose details of the companies involved, the safeguards in place, and the procurement method.

Atiku vowed that Nigerians would resist any attempt to manipulate the 2027 general elections through democratic means, insisting that the country would hold INEC officials accountable for their actions.